'Tis the Season for Cookies: Cranberry-Pistachio Biscotti

Ok.  So I've been away for a while.  A real long while.  Life just completely got in the way of my little blog.  But one of the favorite things I have ever done on here was always the Christmas cookie challenges that we as groups would take on at Christmas!  A bunch of us decided to get together and do it again this year and I AM SO EXCITED!!!

This week's theme was fruit and/or nuts and I new that biscotti would be the perfect cookie for me to tackle!

This recipe came from one of our group member's book The Everything Cookies & Brownies Cookbook by Marye Audet-White at Restless Chipotle.  Thanks so much Marye for a simple and perfect recipe!

Cranberry-Pistachio Biscotti

Ingredients:

1/4 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup cranberries
1 cup unsalted pistachios

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Mix oil and sugar until blended.  Add eggs, vanilla, and almond extract.  Stir dry ingredients together, whisk in.  Add cranberries and pistachios.
3. Divide dough in half; for each half into 12" X 2" rectangle on parchment.  Bake 35 minutes.
4. Remove from oven; cool 15 minutes.
5. Reduce oven to 275 F.  Cut rectangles on an angle into 1/2" thick slices.  Lay cookies on parchment; return to oven.
6. Bake about 10 more minute.  Cool completely.

Be sure and check out the Pinterest board for the group for more great cookie recipes from the other participants. We'll be posting recipes each Monday for the next few weeks.

Also check out the other participants of 'Tis the Season for Cookies to see their fabulous cookie recipes as well!:

Diana Cannone at To Di for Bakery.
Judy Chiappini at No Fear Entertaining.
Mandee Racer Pogue at The Kitchen Wife.
Marye Audet-White at Restless Chipotle.
Renee Joslyn at Flamingo Musings.
Sandy Smith at Eat Real.
And Sherri Jo at The Adventures of Kitchen Girl Jo.

Guest Post from Amanda Carr!

I’m busy right now…really, really busy so when Amanda told me she had a recipe and pictures I jumped at the chance to have her do a guest post for me.

Most of you know that my oldest races BMX right?  Well Amanda races BMX too.  Only really, really well and travels all over the world doing it.  She is currently racing for Thailand but is still based out of her home town of Punta Gorda, FL.

This girl is a true athlete and follows an athletes diet to keep in the incredible shape she is in.  To learn more and to get updates from this amazing girl be sure to follow her on her social media accounts and look for her Tuesday evening Vlog that she puts out!

facebook.com/AmandaCarrBMX
instagram.com/AmandaCarrBMX
youtube.com/AmandaCarrBMX
twitter.com/AmandaCarrBMX

Workout Day Omelet!

Days when heavy lifting is on the menu for training, I usually begin with a medium/light meal. Omelets are usually a go to cause after about 30min-1 hour after I eat I don't have that woozy heavy stomach feeling (I hope you know what I'm talking about).

Anyways, the saying of "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" I kindaaaa follow it (when I have time) I mean let's be real I don't have the time EVERY DAY to make an omelet in the morning. So when I do have time I try to do it right, other days I'm in a rush and it's usually a couple pieces of raisin bread and I'm out the door! So for my omelet, nothing that requires anything that you shouldn't already have in the kitchen:

(I break this up into half before training and half after)

Ingredients:

 3 eggs
tiny bit of butter so nothing sticks
1/4 cup of green pepper (you can use any color you like obviously)
1/4 cup onions
1/4 cup tomatoes
1/4 cup celery
1/2 cup of lunch meat ham
1/4 cup shredded cheese, just to give it a little glue
sprinkle salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Crack the eggs into a glass mixing bowl and beat them until they turn a pale yellow color.
2. Heat a heavy-bottomed nonstick sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the butter and let it melt.
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Then, grab your whisk and whisk like crazy. You're going to want to work up a sweat here. If you're not up for that, you can use an electric beater or stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whatever device you use, you're trying to beat as much air as possible into the eggs.
4. When the butter in the pan is hot enough to make a drop of water hiss, pour in the eggs. Don't stir! Let the eggs cook for up to a minute or until the bottom starts to set.
5. With a heat-resistant rubber spatula, gently push one edge of the egg into the center of the pan, while tilting the pan to allow the still liquid egg to flow in underneath. Repeat with the other edges, until there's no liquid left.
6. Your eggs should now resemble a bright yellow pancake, which should easily slide around on the nonstick surface. If it sticks at all, loosen it with your spatula.
7. Now gently flip the egg pancake over, using your spatula to ease it over if necessary. Cook for another few seconds, or until there is no uncooked egg left.
8. Now is the time add the vegetables and meat. Spoon your filling across the center of the egg in straight line.
9. With your spatula, lift one edge of the egg and fold it across and over, so that the edges line up. Cook for another minute or so, but don't overcook. If necessary, you can flip the entire omelet over to cook the top for 30 seconds or so.

Thanks so much Amanda!!!

#ElleAPalooza

I miss you Elle.  It's not even that we talked all the time or were BFF's but I could always count on a nice comment, commiseration or a funny post.  I miss that.  I mean I REALLY miss that...

In the weeks since Elle's passing I feel that maybe I have taken too many online friendships for granted.  The support.  The love.  The friendship.  For this I am sorry and really am trying to fix.  :)

The recipe that I choose for #ElleAPalooza is cheating.  I am so time crunched that I went back in my archives and hunted down a muffin recipe that I made of Elle's back in January of 2009.  It was good.  Really really good.  I want them right now but alas there is not time...

Double Chocolate Banana Muffins (from Elle at Elle's New England Kitchen)

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/3 cups mashed ripe banana
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients.
2. In a small bowl, combine bananas, oil and egg.
3. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. The batter is quite thick, but keep folding it gently, making sure to get the batter on the bottom of the bowl, and it'll all come together.
4. Fold in chocolate chips.
5. Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups three fourths full.
6. Bake at 350 deg F for 20-25 minutes or until muffins test done.

***On February 24th there is going to be an online auction to help Elle's (Lee Ann) family.  There are pieces of her jewelry among other items being auctioned off.  To learn more please head over to the Friends of Elle FB page and join in...

2014...Happy New Year!